Automobile lock



Patented F eb. 24,- 1925 LLOYD rinuzfv'uns@1v, or .oexsc/innoamroanra.

AUTOMOBILE' LOCK.`

To all whom-t may concern.' Y

Beit known that I, LLOYD HL HALvERsoN,

a citizen of the United States; and a residentl of Oakland, county of Alameda, and State of California, have inventeda new and useiulV Automobile Lock, of wh-iclrthe following is a specification.

M inventionrelates tofa device for lockl mgftogether the axle and steering rod'olf an" automobile. y 4

Any object of the invention is to provide a device by wliichthe steering rod` mayV beA readily' locked-to` the axle lin-l any position-of the rod.

Another object is toA provide a lock of the character described which is arranged to be" permanentlyl positioned on the partsto be locked.

A further object is to provide 'a deviceof;A the character described which allowsof: lockingithe same in the inoperative as well'as` in the operative positin.`

Theinvention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some owhich, with the foregoing, will besetforthn theiollowing `description or the preferredform oi my invention which is Aillustrated in thedrawings accompanying and forming part of the speciicationm yItiis `Ito be understood that I do ,notY limit myselfto the showing made by the said drawings and description,

as l may adoptvariations ofthe preferred form within the scopeA ol my invention asset 'forth in the claims. K A Referring to said drawings:

Figure l `is a perspective view of the lock` of my invention-showing it secured'to the automobile parts which itis adapted .to lock y together.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the device and attached parts.'

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections taken respectively on-` the"` lines 3-8 and .y 4-4of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sideelevation ofv the lock spindle, portions being ,removed to reduce the size of the igure.,

Figure 6 is a similar view ofthelock l sleeve. c lligures 7 and 8 respectively, are trans,-

verse and longitudinal sectional views of the,

key lock mechanism.

Figure i9 is a plan view of the devicerandf attached.parts.showing` the same 1n diilerent positions.

Brieyexpressed'the device in its vpresent form comprises` a pair off telescopic sections which are arrangedtobe pivotally connect-y cdto the steering cross-rod and axle of the automobile. Each section is providedwitlr teethjwhich may be moved into or out of engagement lwith the teeth of the othersection upon the partial rotation ofoney of the sections` with' respect to the other. Means are' providedfor `locking lthe sectionsI against1U relative `rotative movement when the teeth are'eith'er engaged or disengaged. Y

Al `detailed description follows:

The steering cross-rod 2 ofJ the antonio* bile is usually connected yto the' axle 3 threugh means of the steeringknuckle yi-,oneI of 'which' is providedadjacent each end of said parts.l The knuckle 4 hasa pivotedconnection with both the axle and rod so that the latter may swing in an arc toward and from thev former.

Secured to the axle 3 as by a screw 6 which passes through a block 7 aswell as the axle7 is Vani arm 8 which extends outward perpendicularto the axle in a directionaway from thecrossrod 2. rIphe inner faces 9 and-'l0 or the block and arm t snugly between the flanges l1 of the axle so that the armis rigidly held in position. A pin 12 driven into thefscrew` head 13 and block 7 prevents the 85"l withdrawal ofv the screw 6.

Pivotally secured to the endf 14 of the arm" 8 by means. or the verticallypdisposed screw 16, isa head 17 into which isiscrewed a cyk lindrical shell 18; The head 19 of the screw' lfpreferably lies below the upper surface or" the arm 8 inta reamed hole 2l, and a metal plug 22 fills the hole so that the screw cannot be removed. A- pin 23 extending through the' screw 16 and neck 24 of the head lock 95 these parts against relative movement.

Telescopicallyrmounted in the shellis a sleeve 26 which is adapted to be p'ivotally connected to the cross-rod 2 for movement similar to the shell 18.` The exposed end 27 of thesleeve-is screw threaded and is ar-. ranged to engage `in a head 28. Arranged to engage k:the threaded portion 29'adjacent the endof the cross-rod 2 is a collar 3l having a pivot screw 32 depending therefrm.' The headot the lscrew `32 is engaged by-a shoulder 331on a nut 34-which has a threaded-engagement with the neck 36 ofthe head 28.v A pin 37 'through the neck 36 and screw 82 lock the latter members together. From the foregoing it will be clear that a simple effective pivotal connection is afforded between the sleeve 26 and the rod 2.

It will be noted that since the shell and sleeve are both pivotally and telescopically mounted, that the operation of the steering mechanism is as yet unaffected by the device explained up to the present. In other words the rod 2 is tree to move in the are heretofore referred to. Means are therefore provided tor enabling the shell and sleeve to be locked against longitudinal displacement. or telescopic movement, and thereby preventing the movement of the rod and consequently the functioning of the steering mechanism. Rotatably mounted within the shell and fixed against relative longitudinal movement therewith by means oit the annular shoulder 38 and key-lock easing 39, is a spindle 4l having as here shown longitudinally7 spaced segmental teeth 42 'formed on diametrically opposed sides thereot. The sides of the spindle intermediate the sets of teeth are 'flattened as clearly shown in Figure 4. The major portion oit the spindle is preterably arranged to lie within the sleeve, and the latter is provided on its inner surface with corresponding sets of segmental teeth 43 which when engaged with the teeth 42 of the spindle, lock the shell and sleeve against telescopic movement. In the present embodiment of the invention portions ot the opposing sides of the sleeve have been omit-ted thereby forming open slots 44 whose widths are slightly in excess of the width of the segment deiining the teeth on the spindle. Furthermore the flattened sides of the spindle are each slightly greater in width than the width et the teeth of the sleeve. In this manner the spindle may be rotated to a position where the teeth 42 and 43 are in enga-gement, or to a position where the teetlrare entirely disengaged, the former position causing the locking of the members whereas the latter permits the unrestricted relative movement thereof. Since the sets ot teeth are two in number and diametrically opposed,v a quarter turn ot the spindle will effect a lull change from one position to another. It will be noted that each set et teeth extends longitudinally for a considerable distance so that when the teeth are disengaged a quarter turn of ythe spindle will cause the sets oi teeth to become engaged regardless of the longitudinal position ot the shell with respect to the sleeve; or in other words the shell and sleeve may he placed in locked engagement in any position oit the steering mechanism.

Means are provided tor locking the spindle against rotation either when the sets ot teeth are in or out of engagement. Suitablv secured within the end 45 of the shell such as by means ot the pins 46, is the lock casing 39 in which is rotatably mounted a barrel rThe inner end 48 ot the ba"- rel is provided with a rectangular or other suitably V.formed extension 4S) which engages in a similar shaped recess formed in the adjacent end ot the spindle, so that rotation of the barrel will thus be accompanied by a corresponding movement oi" the spindle. Arranged within the casing 39 perpeudicir lar to the barrel and at right angles to each other are sets of tumbler-s 5l and 52 which are pressed inward by springs rllhe barrel 47 is provided with openings into which the tumblers :il or 532 may enter when the openings are aligned with either set. Each of the openings 54 are engaged by seeg ondary tumblers 56 which rest on balls 57 normally disposed in the bottom oi the openings. lfhen the openings are aligned with a set of' the casing tuinblers, the latter are enabled to partially,7 engage therein and thereby lock the barrel against movement. The barrel is provided with a suitable key slot 58 whi Yh communicates u'ith the openings 54, and by inserting a proper key 59 therein the balls and secondary tuinblers will be raised a suliicient amount to cans the inner end ot the casing tumblers to become circmnferentially aligned with the barrel in which position the latter can be rotated by turning the key. lt will vthus be seen that by turning the barrel so that the openings will be aligned with one or the other of the casing tumblers the shell and sleeve may be locked in lined or for slidable engagement. ln order that the openings 54 will readily become aligned with the casing tumblers when the barrel is moved from one position to another, a lixed pin 59 is arranged to engage in a. slot Gl formed in the barrel, the pin being adapted to engage one ot the ends ot the slot and thereby limit the movement of the barrel as the openings become aligned.

lWith the shell and sleeve locked against relative displacement, the movement o? the rod as controlled by the locking device would be considerably ditlerent than that afforded by the knuckle This is partly due to the fact that the distance between the knuckle connections is different than the distance between the pivotal connections ot the lock, thus tending in each cese to move the rod thru arcs ot different magnitude and accordingly in more or less ditlerent direetions. Since movement of the rod thru ditferent arcs at the same time impossible, an effective locking ot the parts naturally results. ln order to vfurther increase the tendency oit the locking device to resist the movement of the rod, l position the shell and sleeve so that their common axis lies oblique to the axis ot the knuckle, thus causing the knuckle and the lock to tend to move the rod thru 4arcs whic i are correspondingly fit) lill) more angularly disposed with respect to each other.

l. in automobile loolt comprising a telescopic member adapted tobe pivotally connected to the axle and steering oii'oss-rod of the automobile, said steering cross-rod being' connected to said axle by parallel links, whose connecting points are a lesser distance apart than the connecting points ot said telescopic member, and means for lool;- ing said telescopic member against telescopio movement in a plurality of positions of said rod.

An automobile look adapted to be connected to the steering cross-rod and axle of: the automobile, comprising a toothed member arranged to be pivotally connected to one of said parts of the automobile, a second toothed member adapted to be pivotally connected to the other of said parts and being rotatably mounted in telescopic relation to said first member, rotation o'f said second member serving to place the teeth thereof into or out oit engagement with the teeth ot the other whereby said members may be held against or for relative slidable movement, and means for locking said members against relative rotative movement. i

3. An automobile lock adapted to be connected to the steering cross-rod and axle of the automobile, comprising a member arn ranged to be pivotally connected to one of said parts of the automobile, a second member adapted to be pivotally connected to the other of said parts and mounted in telescopic relation to said first member, and means operative upon the rotation of one of said members with respect to the other for locking them against relative slidable movement in any position thereof.

4l. An automobile lock adapted to be connected to the steering cross-rod and axle of the automobile, comprising a toothed inember arranged to be pivotally connected to one of said parts et' the automobile, a second toothed member adapted to be pivotally connected to the other of said parts and being rotatably and telescopically mounted with respect to said first member, rotation of said second member serving to place the teeth thereof in or out of engagement with the teeth of the other whereby said members may be held against or for relative slidable movement, and means for locking said members against rotative movement when said teeth are engaged with or released from each other.

5. A device for locking together the steering cross-rod and axle of an automobile oomprising a toothed member adapted to be pivoted on a vertical axis to one of said parts of the automobile, a toothed sleeve adapted to be pivoted on a vertical axis to thel other of said automobile parts and telescopically disposed about said toothed membei', means tor rotating said toothed member with respect to said sleeve whereby the teeth of the sleeve and member may be moved into or out o1"l engagement with each other and thereby respectively prevent or permit the slidable movement of the sleeve with respect to the member, and means for locking said member and sleeve against relative rotation when the teeth thereof are in or out of engagement.

6. ln a device for locking together the steering rod and axle of an automobile, a shell adapted to be pivotally connected to one of said automobile parts for movement about a vertical axis, a sleeve adapted to be connected to the other of said automobile parts for similar movement and being telescopically arranged within said shell, longitudinally spaced teeth formed in said sleeve, a spindle rotatably lined in said shell and arranged to lie within said sleeve, longitudinally spaced teeth formed on said spindle arranged to be placed in or out of engagement with the teeth of the sleeve upon the rotation of said spindle, and a lock for holding said teeth in or out of engagement with each other.

7. In a device for locking together the steering rod and axle of an automobile, an arm adapted to be lined to said aXle and extending away from said rod, a. shell pivotally secured to said arm for movement about a vertical axis, a sleeve adapted to be secured to said rod for similar pivotal movement and being telescopically mounted within said shell, longitudinally spaced teeth formed in said sleeve, a spindle rotatably fixed in said shell and arranged to lie within said sleeve, longitudinally spaced teeth formed on said spindle arranged to be placed in or out oi" engagement with the teeth ot the sleeve upon the rotation of said spindle, and a key-lock held in said shell having its barrel fixed for rotation with said spindle and adapted to be locked against movement when said teeth are engaged with or disengaged from each otheru 8. In a device for locking together the steering rod and aXle of an automobile, an arm adapted to be fixed to the aille and projecting away from said rod, a shell pivotally secured to said arm :tor movement about a vertical axis, a sleeve adapted to be secured to said rod for similar movement about a vertical axis and being telesoopically mounted within said shell, longitudinally spaced segmental teeth formed in said sleeve, a spindle rotatably mounted within said shell and held against longitudinal displacement relative thereto, longitudinally spaoed segmental teeth extending from the sides of said spindle arranged to be placed in or out of engagement with the teeth of said sleeve upon the iotation of saitl spindle, members attached to the steering cross-rod and a .liey look tit-ed in said shell having; e and axle of the automobilea and means opel baii'el fixed for votation with said spindle ative upon the relative rotation of one ot and adapted to be loelecl against movement said members to interlock said members 5 when said teeth are in o1l out of engagement against telescopio movement.

with each other whereby said shell and In testimony7 whereof, l have hereunto set sleeve mayv be looked toi o1' against telemy hand at Oakland, this 16th clay o'f June, scopi@ movement. 1921.

9. An automobile look comprising rela- 10 tively rotatable and teleseopically engaged. LLOYD H. HALVERSON. 

